The invention relates generally to the field of connectors. More specifically, the invention relates to an optical connector incorporating a shutter assembly for excluding dust and other contaminants.
Optical connectors terminate fiber-optic cables and often are used to facilitate the interconnection of fiber-optic cables, which encase optical fibers. Optical connectors also are used to facilitate the interconnection of fiber-optic cables and devices that transmit and/or receive optical signals. Typically, an optical connector includes a housing, which encloses one end of a fiber-optic cable that is coupled to a ferrule. When two optical connectors are connected together, the ferrules within the optical connectors interface with one another. Similarly, when an optical connector is connected to an optical device, the ferrule within the optical connector interfaces with optical components included in the optical device.
However, when the optical connector is not coupled to another optical connector or device, the optical connector""s housing is open and the ferrule is exposed to dust, dirt, and other contamination from outside of the housing. Exposure of the ferrule to contaminants is disadvantageous because such exposure can result in the contaminants depositing on the ferrule, and can adversely affect the optical path between the ferrule and another adjacent ferrule or other optical device. In particular, contaminants can attenuate or block the optical transmission capabilities both into and out of the ferrule. Accordingly, contaminants must be periodically removed from the ferrule. The removal of contaminants can be time consuming and can result in abrasions or other damage to the ferrule""s highly-polished surface. Another concern related to the ferrule being open to the environment outside of the housing, is protecting the user from exposure to high-intensity light emitted from the ferrule.
Prior efforts to limit the amount of time that the ferrule is exposed to the environment outside of the optical connector""s housing have resulted in the use of dust covers and end caps to seal optical-connector housings. Also, rigid shutters having an iris, like that of a camera, have been used. Other rigid shutters that pivot into and out of a sealing position also have been used. However, the removal of dust covers or end caps requires additional manual effort by the user. Furthermore, after the dust covers and end caps are removed, the optical connector""s housing is open and the ferrule is exposed to the environment outside of the housing. A similar problem occurs with the use of rigid shutters, since the ferrule again is exposed to the environment outside of the housing after the shutter is opened. Rigid shutters also pose the problem of contact between the ferrule and the rigid shutter which may result in the highly-polished surface of the ferrule being scratched or broken. Furthermore, a rigid shutter may provide regions where dust accumulates, and thus, may contribute to contamination of the ferrule should it contact the rigid shutter.
Accordingly, there is a need for an optical connector that can be mated and unmated with other optical connectors or optical devices with a low risk of damage to the ferrule and with little to no exposure of the ferrule to the environment outside of the optical connector""s housing. The present invention satisfies these needs.
The present invention is embodied in a shutter assembly used in an optical connector, which can be mated and unmated with other optical connectors or optical devices with a low risk of damage to the ferrule and with little to no exposure of the ferrule to the environment outside of the optical connector. More particularly, an exemplary system that embodies the invention is a shutter assembly configured to be moveable between a closed position, when an optical device is not inserted into the shutter assembly, and an open position, when the optical device is inserted into the shutter assembly. The shutter assembly includes a first flexible layer, second flexible layer, first coupling ring, and second coupling ring. The first flexible layer has a plurality of slits formed therein, wherein, when the shutter assembly is in the closed position, the first flexible layer is substantially planar, a longitudinal axis perpendicularly passes through the first flexible layer, and the first flexible layer""s slits meet at a first location. The second flexible layer has a plurality of slits formed therein, wherein, when the shutter assembly is in the closed position, the second flexible layer is located adjacent to the first flexible layer, the second flexible layer is substantially planar, and the second flexible layer""s slits meet at a second location, laterally spaced from the first location. The first coupling ring is located adjacent to the first flexible layer, and the second coupling ring is located adjacent to the second flexible layer. Both the first and second flexible layers are located between the first and second coupling rings. The first and second coupling rings support the first and second flexible layers with a sealed space located behind the first and second flexible layers. Both the first and second flexible layers form a seal with the optical device when the shutter assembly is in its open position.
In other, more detailed features of the invention, each of the slits included in the first flexible layer""s plurality of slits extends radially from the first location, and each of the slits included in the second flexible layer""s plurality of slits extends radially from the second location. Also, both the first and second coupling rings are c-shaped. In addition, the shutter assembly is configured to exclude contaminants from the sealed space located behind the first and second flexible layers. Furthermore, the first and second flexible layers are made of high-resilience silicone rubber.
In other, more detailed features of the invention, the shutter assembly further includes a third flexible layer and a fourth flexible layer. The third flexible layer has a plurality of slits formed therein, wherein, when the shutter assembly is in a closed position, the third flexible layer is located adjacent to the second flexible layer, the third flexible layer is substantially planar, and the third flexible layer""s slits meet at a third location, laterally spaced from both the first and second locations. The fourth flexible layer has a plurality of slits formed therein, wherein, when the shutter assembly is in a closed position, the fourth flexible layer is located adjacent to the third flexible layer, the fourth flexible layer is substantially planar, and the fourth flexible layer""s slits meet at a fourth location, laterally spaced from the first, second, and third locations. The second coupling ring is located adjacent to the fourth flexible layer. The first, second, third, and fourth flexible layers are located between the first and second coupling rings, and the first and second coupling rings support the first, second, third, and fourth flexible layers with the sealed space located behind the first, second, third, and fourth flexible layers. The first, second, third, and fourth flexible layers form the seal with the optical device when the shutter assembly is in its open position. Also, each of the slits included in the third flexible layer""s plurality of slits extends radially from the third location, and each of the slits included in the fourth flexible layer""s plurality of slits extends radially from the fourth location.
Another exemplary system that embodies the invention is an optical connector configured to be matable with an optical device. The optical connector includes a housing and a shutter assembly. The housing defines a cavity having a longitudinal axis and an opening. A ferrule is located generally coaxially within the cavity and recessed from the opening. The ferrule optically engages the optical device when the optical connector mates with the optical device. The shutter assembly is located within the cavity, adjacent to the opening. The shutter assembly is configured to be moveable between a closed position, when the optical connector and the optical device are not mated with each other, and an open position, when the optical connector and the optical device are mated with each other. The shutter assembly functions to seal the cavity, both in the closed and open positions. The shutter assembly includes a first flexible layer, second flexible layer, first coupling ring, and second coupling ring. The first flexible layer has a plurality of slits formed therein, wherein, when the shutter assembly is in the closed position, the first flexible layer is substantially planar and the first flexible layer""s slits meet at a first location. The second flexible layer has a plurality of slits formed therein, wherein, when the shutter assembly is in the closed position, the second flexible layer is located adjacent to the first flexible layer, the second flexible layer is substantially planar, and the second flexible layer""s slits meet at a second location, laterally spaced from the first location. The first coupling ring is located adjacent to the first flexible layer, and the second coupling ring is located adjacent to the second flexible layer. Both the first and second flexible layers are located between the first and second coupling rings. Also, the first and second coupling rings support the first and second flexible layers with a sealed space located behind the first and second flexible layers.
Another exemplary system that embodies the invention is an optical connector pair that includes a plug assembly and a receptacle assembly. The plug assembly includes a plug housing defining a cavity having a longitudinal axis and an opening. The plug assembly further includes a plug ferrule located generally coaxially within the cavity and recessed from the plug housing""s opening. The receptacle assembly includes a receptacle housing defining a cavity having a longitudinal axis and an opening. The receptacle assembly further includes a receptacle ferrule located generally coaxially within the cavity, recessed from the receptacle housing""s opening. The plug assembly and the receptacle assembly are configured to be matable with each other, with the plug ferrule optically engaging the receptacle ferrule. The plug assembly further includes a plug shutter assembly located within the plug housing""s cavity, adjacent to the plug housing""s opening. The receptacle assembly further includes a receptacle shutter assembly located within the receptacle housing""s cavity, adjacent to the receptacle housing""s opening. Both the plug shutter assembly and the receptacle shutter assembly are configured to be movable between a closed position, when the plug assembly and receptacle assembly are not mated with each other, and an open position, when the plug assembly and the receptacle assembly are mated with each other. Both the plug shutter assembly and the receptacle shutter assembly function to seal their respective cavities, both in their closed positions and their open positions. The plug shutter assembly and the receptacle shutter assembly each include a first flexible layer, second flexible layer, first coupling ring, and second coupling ring. The first flexible layer has a plurality of slits formed therein, wherein, when the shutter assembly is in the closed position, the first flexible layer is substantially planar and the first flexible layer""s slits meet at a first location. The second flexible layer has a plurality of slits formed therein, wherein, when the shutter assembly is in the closed position, the second flexible layer is located adjacent to the first flexible layer, the second flexible layer is substantially planar, and the second flexible layer""s slits meet at a second location, laterally spaced from the first location. The first coupling ring is located adjacent to the first flexible layer, and the second coupling ring is located adjacent to the second flexible layer. Both the first and second flexible layers are located between the first and second coupling rings, and the first and second coupling rings support the first and second flexible layers with a sealed space located behind the first and second flexible layers.
An exemplary method that embodies the invention is a method for interfacing an optical connector pair. The method includes providing a plug assembly including a plug housing defining a cavity having a longitudinal axis and an opening. The plug assembly further includes a plug ferrule located generally coaxially within the cavity and recessed from the plug housing""s opening. The method also includes providing a receptacle assembly including a receptacle housing defining a cavity having a longitudinal axis and an opening. The receptacle assembly further includes an alignment sleeve and a receptacle ferrule located within the alignment sleeve generally coaxially within the cavity and recessed from the receptacle housing""s opening. The plug assembly and the receptacle assembly are configured to be matable with each other, with the plug ferrule optically engaging the receptacle ferrule within the alignment sleeve. The plug assembly further includes a plug shutter assembly located within the plug housing""s cavity, adjacent to the plug housing""s opening, and the receptacle assembly further includes a receptacle shutter assembly located within the receptacle housing""s cavity, adjacent to the receptacle housing""s opening. Both the plug shutter assembly and the receptacle shutter assembly are configured to be movable between a closed position, when the plug assembly and receptacle assembly are not mated with each other, and an open position, when the plug assembly and the receptacle assembly are mated with each other, and wherein both the plug shutter assembly and the receptacle shutter assembly function to seal their respective cavities, both in their closed positions and their open positions. The plug shutter assembly and the receptacle shutter assembly each include a first flexible layer, second flexible layer, first coupling ring, and second coupling ring. The first flexible layer has a plurality of slits formed therein, wherein, when the shutter assembly is in the closed position, the first flexible layer is substantially planar and the first flexible layer""s slits meet at a first location. The second flexible layer has a plurality of slits formed therein, wherein, when the shutter assembly is in the closed position, the second flexible layer is located adjacent to the first flexible layer, the second flexible layer is substantially planar, and the second flexible layer""s slits meet at a second location, laterally spaced from the first location. The first coupling ring is located adjacent to the first flexible layer, and the second coupling ring is located adjacent to the second flexible layer. Both the first and second flexible layers of each shutter assembly are located between the first and second coupling rings. The first and second coupling rings support the first and second flexible layers with a sealed space located behind the first and second flexible layers. The method further includes inserting the plug assembly into both the first and second pluralities of slits of the receptacle shutter assembly, maintaining a first seal between the plug assembly and the first and second layers of the receptacle shutter assembly, inserting the alignment sleeve into both the first and second pluralities of slits of the plug shutter assembly, and maintaining a second seal between the alignment sleeve and the first and second layers of the plug shutter assembly.
In other, more detailed features of the invention, the method further includes inserting the plug ferrule into the alignment sleeve, and aligning the plug ferrule with the receptacle ferrule.
Other features of the invention should become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.